Top 5 Superfoods for Athletes

As an athlete, while continuous training is the key to success, it’s also crucial to integrate the right superfoods into your diet in order to perform at your best.

This means, eating healthy foods and certain supplements to keep you on top of your game! Making the right food choices before and after your sessions can significantly help increase energy levels and muscle mass.

The first step is to find out exactly which superfoods can help boost your athletic performance. Read on to discover the top 5 superfoods for athletes and reach your athletic goals faster with these powerful supplements!

Maca

Maca is the number one superfood to boost your athletic skills! Make Maca your new coffee by including it to your daily dietary regime. Unlike coffee, Maca contains no caffeine, processed sugar or chemicals, helping you boost your energy in a more balanced and sustained way. Meanwhile, it offers you an energy boost that can come in handy when you’re getting ready for your early morning practice class or gym session.

Its adaptogenic properties and impressive nutrients, including protein, fibre, amino acids and fatty acids, maintain adrenal function in your body, helping you adjust to the stresses and strains of exercise, while helping your body’s cells to access more energy.

By helping your body balance out the production of essential hormones during an intense workout, Maca can also help increase your stamina and endurance!

Baobab

Including Baobab in your athletic diet is a smart way to help you perform well during your training sessions. It is also an excellent source of Vitamin C, which is great news for athletes, as the vitamin is known for reducing the amount of oxidative damage caused by intense training.

Not only does the vitamin promote recovery, but ascorbic acid is also crucial for building muscle mass. Vitamin C can also help improve adrenal gland function, which increases metabolic energy and maintains homeostasis and cortisol levels – a hormone that can cause muscle breakdown.

Ashwagandha

Boost your cardio-respiratory response with Ashwagandha! Having good cardio-respiratory fitness means that your circulatory and respiratory system are able to provide your body with the right amount of fuel and oxygen during your exercise, enhancing endurance too!

Ashwagandha also contains adaptogenic properties that can help you focus and activate your mind. It does this by reducing serum cortisol levels by up to 28 per cent, helping boost concentration and focus. Now, doesn’t that sound appealing to an athlete?

Cacao

Believe it or not, but the beloved Cacao powder – mostly adored for its rich natural chocolate flavour – is another important superfood for athletes. It contains high sources of iron and is packed with antioxidants, helping boost the immune system and flexibility in the arteries. Its magnesium and phenylethylamine properties are fantastic mood-boosters, which can help you remain energised throughout your sessions.

Cacao can also release a neurotransmitter called anandamide, which is naturally activated when you feel excited and happy, allowing you to increase your energy even more!

Turmeric

Turmeric is rising in its popularity as a fantastic superfood across the world – and it definitely deserves its recognition! Its powerful levels of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals can help maintain healthy bone, muscle and brain functions. These are vital features, if you want to keep your energy levels high!

Mix and match

Integrate any of these top five superfoods into your athlete dietary regime, to provide yourself with all the necessary nutrients to perform at the best of your abilities. Whether you mix and match your favourites from week to week, or rotate each superfood as and when you fancy them, get your supply of superfoods today and watch the magic happen!